Archive for the ‘Morocco Vacations’ Category

1. Adopt a Moroccan schedule To Beat the Heat in Morocco During Summer & Other Seasons. Take advantage of the cool early morning hours in Morocco in Summer by taking a mid-moring snack and a late lunch about 1:00 PM. Take a nap in your air-conditioned hotel room or traditional Moroccan Riad, or a dip in the pool. Around 4 PM, have a snack, and head out again around 4:30-5:00 PM. You won’t miss much, because Moroccans tend to lie low during this same time. Enjoy yourself until dark, then head off for dinner around 8-9:00 PM. Take advantage of the Moroccan night life during the cool evening hours if you’re staying in Imperial cities such as Marrakech, Essaouira or Casablanca, all which boast varied restaurants with Moroccan and International cuisine along with entertainment.

2. When going out in the morning during your Morocco Travel experience, make sure to apply sunscreen and consider wearing a hat (or hat alternative) and sunglasses (protects your eyes against cataracts).

3. If you find yourself out and about, getting overheated and exhausted, use your water bottle to wet down your face, neck, hairline, and even the top of your t-shirt or dress in the upper back, shoulder, and neck areas. You can even splash some water on your arms if necessary.

Don’t worry about looking silly–it’s far better to take care of your health when traveling in Summer in Morocco. Even though you might not see them, plenty of Moroccans (especially men, or women when in their own homes) wet down their entire head and neck under a faucet if they feel severely overheated.

Under these circumstances, try also to get to a shaded area and sit down for a little while, even if you have to ask someone in a shop or elsewhere if you may use their stool to sit on. Most are more than happy to oblige if they see you need help.

4. Drink PLENTY of water. Doctors on the Moroccan radio have advised that this is the best way to avoid serious problems. (The objective is to keep your blood thin through drinking, because dehydration is what actually leads to strokes or heart attacks in the heat.)

5. If you are not on a salt-restricted diet, enjoy the Moroccan olives! Ask your guide to take you on a visit to the olive souk, where you can purchase several varieties of olives (which don’t need to be refrigerated in your hotel room). Enjoy these at your leisure. While a bit of salt is quite helpful in preventing heat stroke in extremely hot weather, salt tablets are quite unnecesary if you like olives!

Olive souk in Morocco

6. If possible, doctors suggest spending at least a couple of hours per day in an air-conditioned location. Even short periods will give your body a break. If you are unable to do so, don’t feel shy about wetting yourself down. Your clothes will easily dry in 20-30 minutes.

In addition to your Riad or hotel in Morocco, air-conditioning is becoming more available now in some larger stores (supermarkets and malls). These make a cooler place you can go for a break.

7. When stopping at small shops or cafés, they often DO have cold drinks. But sometimes you have to especially ASK for them. If they hand you an unopened bottle or can which is not cold, it never hurts to aks for one that is cold. Sometimes they only give them to the people who ASK. Moroccans nearly ALWAYS ask!

8. If you should ever find yourself in an out-of-the-way place that is just unbearable at night, one trick to help with this situation is to travel with a cheap (thin) bath towel. (Even a large hand towel will do.) These can be easily purchased at any local souk. Wet it down, wring it out, and lay it on top of your body in the bed. If you have a fan to lie in front of, it will offer instant relief. If you don’t have a fan, wave it back and forth in the air a few times; when you lay it on your body, it will feel cold. This can give you some much-needed relief.

9. Remember the locals are better acclimated to the heat of summer and cold of winter, because their bodies have a chance to adjust gradually throughout the year. If you spend a long time in Morocco, especially without air conditioning (or heat in winter), your body will adjust, too. But most tourists are not here long enough for that to happen. Most fly right in to the summer heat, are only here a short time, and need to be careful by following the above suggestions.

If you should ever need a doctor, generally your hotel desk or tour guide can help find you one quickly, who even speaks some English.

10. Low-lying and coastal regions (northern and western coasts) of Morocco, such as Agadir, Casablanca, Rabat, and Tangieroften have moderate temperatures with humidity, but less of both than is found in the American South, or American East Coast. Marrakesh, Fes, Ouarzazate, and other inland cities or southern areas tend to have dry, to very dry, heat, which is far easier to tolerate than humid heat.

So, to sum up, in very hot weather, avoid going out between 1 PM and 4 PM. Rest in air-conditioning, if possible. Drink plenty of water, and don’t hesitate to ask someone for a stool or chair to rest on if you become exhausted. If you become overheated together with exhaustion, soak your head and shoulders in water —put your health before appearances.

Travel Exploration specializes in Morocco Travel. We provide Tours and travel opportunities to Morocco for the independent traveler and tailor-made tours for families and groups with a distinctly unique flavor. From Morocco’s Seven Imperial Cities, to the Magical Sahara Travel Exploration offers a captivating experience that will inspire you. At Travel Exploration we guarantee that you will discover the best of Morocco! Call Travel Exploration at 1 (800) 787-8806 or 1 (917)703-2078 and let’s book a tour to Morocco for you today.

Dinner in the Djemaa El Fna Square, in Marrakesh, Photo by Mary Mimouna

Djemaa El Fna Square is in the heart of Marrakesh, Morocco is like no where else on earth, and an adventure not to be missed after dusk. Courageous travelers in Morocco will definitely want to eat in the Djemaa El Fna Square. Tourists can avoid any chance of illness simply by sticking to foods that are actually cooked in front of them, and passed over to be eaten off of a clean paper. The Moroccan family in the photo above is waiting for their main course to come out of the cooking pot in front of them.Whether you choose to eat or not, just a stroll through the Djemaa El Fna Square in the evening can provide some very unique photo opportunities.

One of the best meals to have in Djemaa El Fna Square is a variety of types of freshly-cooked white fish including sole. These are served with French fries, and a variety of salads eaten with bread out of a dish or off of a clean paper, consisting separately of mashed cooked eggplant with a squeeze of lemon and salt; tomato, onion, and parsley salad; and roasted green pepper salad. You might also want to try chicken or beef brochettes (shish-ke-babs) roasted over a fire, or roasted whole chicken. Snails are served from special carts. If you have never tried snails, Morocco is definitely the place to do so. Various bottles of soda pop are served as drinks. For most tourists, this is the best option. (Water and tea might be available, but you will be unwittingly sharing a cup with many other dinners, so these are best avoided in the Square.)

Really adventurous diners will want to try sheep heads in Djemaa El Fna Square. While most people in the West aren’t aware of it, bologna is made out of the tender meat of the face. You can also try tongue, brains (a Moroccan favorite), heart, liver, or pancreas stuffed with rice and currants. Some tourists may just want to take pictures of these things to send back home.

Once you have completed your meal, you step behind the serving cart, where a man is ready with soap and ladles of clean water to let you wash your hands.

Either before dinner, at sunset, or after eating, you may wish to sit up in Café Argana, a landmark in Djemaa El Fna Square where you can enjoy a spectacular view of the lively and exotic Square while sipping Moroccan coffee or tea.

The Djemaa El Fna Square is located next to the main entrance to the Marrakesh Souks. A meal in the Square can also be a great start or finish to your Marrakesh one day tour or even a Sahara Desert Tour .

Travel Exploration specializes in Morocco Travel. We provide Tours and travel opportunities to Morocco for the independent traveler and tailor-made tours for families and groups with a distinctly unique flavor. From Morocco’s Seven Imperial Cities, to the Magical Sahara Travel Exploration offers a captivating experience that will inspire you. At Travel Exploration we guarantee that you will discover the best of Morocco! Call Travel Exploration at 1 (800) 787-8806 or 1 (917)703-2078 and let’s book a tour to Morocco for you today.

Preserved lemons are a staple in Moroccan cuisine and are added to slow cooking tagines, stews, and soups for a wonderful tangy lemon flavor that can not be duplicated with fresh lemons. In Morocco, these lemons can be bought individually at a souk, or marketplace, and are very easy to find given their importance in Moroccan dishes. Outside of Morocco these lemons may be found in Middle Eastern or international markets but are so easy to make many cooks decide to prepare their own preserved lemons at home.

The ingredients for Moroccan preserved lemons are extremely simple, all you need are whole fresh lemons, sea salt, lemon juice, and, in some recipes, vegetable oil. There is also the option of adding additional spices to make the preserved lemons more suitable for sweet or savory dishes. Cinnamon sticks are a common spice that is added for lemons that are going to be used in sweet dishes and pepper or bay leaves are added for lemons that are going to be used in savory tagine dishes.

Moroccan Chicken & Preserved Lemon Tajine

The pickling process takes about one month and the preserved lemons will be good to use for up to six months. A simple clean jar is sufficient to pickle the lemons in but it is suggested that if you are not planning on refrigerating the lemons that you use a proper sterilized canning jar.

Moroccan Preserved Lemons Jarring Process

To Make Moroccan Preserved Lemons

– Cut off both rounded ends of the lemon and make two deep cuts lengthwise downwards, careful not to cut all the way through, so that the lemon has been incised with an X.

– Stuff the salt down into the cuts using about 1 tablespoon per lemon. If available use Moroccan sea salt for a finer taste.

– Pack the lemons tightly into the jar, pushing them to the bottom, and cover with lemon juice and any additional spices you choose to include. Some recipes call for topping the jar with vegetable oil.

-Leave the jar closed for one month, checking every couple of days to make sure the Moroccan lemons are fully submerged in juice.

– After one month the Moroccan preserved lemons are ready, the pulp and skins will have become soft and silken and can both be used in cooking recipes. Some people use the juice as well but this is often too salty. Rinse the lemons in water before using to wash away the extra salt and then add to any slow-cooking meat or vegetable tagine dish.

Travel Exploration specializes in Morocco Travel. We provide Tours and travel opportunities to Morocco for the independent traveler and tailor-made tours for families and groups with a distinctly unique flavor. From Morocco’s Seven Imperial Cities, to the Magical Sahara Travel Exploration offers a captivating experience that will inspire you. At Travel Exploration we guarantee that you will discover the best of Morocco! Call Travel Exploration at 1 (800) 787-8806 or 1 (917)703-2078 and let’s book a tour to Morocco for you today.

Saltworks in Morocco are interesting places to visit. They can be found along the Atlantic Coast of Morocco, in the Moroccan Sahara Desert. This one was south of Merlift, between Sidi Ifni and Tarfaya. Others can be found south of Tan-Tan Plage and Laayoune, all the way to Dakhla. To reach these locations, one must drive considerably south of Agadir.

Road off the escarpment to the salt flats

It’s highly advisable to have a four-wheel drive vehicle, although the descent/ascent back up can be managed in some cars with an experienced driver.

Standing in a thin layer of dried salt

A number of shallow pan areas such as the one above are bulldozed out, surrounded by by earthen walls up to a meter high. The ocean water is let in, such as up to 20 cm (10 inches), then closed off so that the ocean water is trapped. The water is left to evaporate. Once fully evaporated, it looks just like this. This salt was about one centimeter thick (one-half inch), waiting to be bulldozed up into a pile the size of the top photo in this post.

Most Moroccan salt comes in square or rectangular plastic bags, tends to be a bit wet, and contains a bit of fine sand. Moroccan cooks don’t notice this small amount of sand, but if you take a heaping tablespoon of salt and dissolve it in a glass of water, you can see the small grains of sand drop to the bottom. Seeing how and where the Moroccan salt is collected explains why it is usually a bit damp in the plastic bag, and why it contains small bits of sand.

Moroccan saltworks can be very interesting places to visit during your Moroccan Sahara Desert Tour.

Travel Exploration specializes in Morocco Travel. We provide Tours and travel opportunities to Morocco for the independent traveler and tailor-made tours for families and groups with a distinctly unique flavor. From Morocco’s Seven Imperial Cities, to the Magical Sahara Travel Exploration offers a captivating experience that will inspire you. At Travel Exploration we guarantee that you will discover the best of Morocco! Call Travel Exploration at 1 (800) 787-8806 or 1 (917)703-2078 and let’s book a tour to Morocco for you today.

Featuring three days of non-stop action in Marrakech, and attended by nearly ten thousand visitors for the second year in a row, the race is packed with both adults and children. The entire course is well-protected by barriers and grandstands are set up in specified areas. Portable restrooms are conveniently located in all areas.

Tickets are available in all price ranges, starting as low as 2 Euros, with VIP packages running as high as 1500 Euros. Most categories of tickets sell out. The most exciting package for 400 Euros, allows attendees to take a ride in the cars, seated behind the driver, where they can experience the thrill of acceleration to 200 miles per hour in 5 seconds.

A Section of the Grand Prix Race Course in Marrakech

The best VIP packages in Morocco put you in hotel rooms overlooking the pits, with permanent access to the fully-catered, open-bar suite overlooking a spectacular view of the start/finish line. You have access to private parties where you mingle with celebrites and international models. You also have exclusive access to all behind-the scenes locations such as the pit lane, VIP grandstands, private balcony, and commercial village. (Corporate pacakges are available as well.)

Children and teenagers especially love the noise of the cars and general excitement of the race. Of course, everyone hopes to see a crash, but is relieved when drivers escape unscathed.

Above is the footage of Ricardo Teixeira’s airborne crash in the second Marrakech race, from the onboard perspective of driver Paul Rees, on May 2, 2010. (Both drivers were fine after the crash, as were the other three drivers impacted by the crash.)

The crash occured when Portugese-Angolan driver Ricardo Teixeira was trying to overtake Russian driver Ivan Samarin. Teixeira suddenly found himself flying through the air after his car touched the back end of Samarin’s, while trying to overtake Samarin. Austria’s Philipp Eng won the race.

Teixeira said in a post-crash interview with Autosport magazine, “It was the first big crash I’ve ever had and it was very strange. I…went straight up. At first all I was thinking was angry at him, then I realised I was up in the air and turning – when I looked down and thought ‘I can see all the cars down there!’ “

Why not make your plans now with Morocco Travel Exploration for attending next year’s Marrakech Grand Prix? It will be held April 30 – May 2, 2011, and remember the best packages sell out in advance.

Travel Exploration specializes in Morocco Travel. We provide Tours and travel opportunities to Morocco for the independent traveler and tailor-made tours for families and groups with a distinctly unique flavor. From Morocco’s Seven Imperial Cities, to the Magical Sahara Travel Exploration offers a captivating experience that will inspire you. At Travel Exploration we guarantee that you will discover the best of Morocco! Call Travel Exploration at 1 (800) 787-8806 or 1 (917)703-2078 and let’s book a tour to Morocco for you today.

When considering a vacation or holiday to Morocco choosing an Authentic Morocco Tour company such as Travel Exploration Morocco that offers Testimonials and Trip Advice is an important way to begin planning a Morocco travel journey. When choosing a Morocco Travel Agency some of the most important things to consider are:

1. Reputation of the Morocco travel agency you choose. Ask for references and Morocco Testimonials to be sure you are traveling through a reputable Morocco Tour Operator.

7. ASTA Membership- The American Associate of Travel Agencies offers online references for quality Morocco Tour Operators and Morocco Travel Agencies. Make sure you travel with an agency that is a member of ASTA.

Travel Exploration Morocco guarantees Authentic Morocco Tours and Authentic Morocco Travel and Tour Testimonials that can be found on our website which demonstrate the kind of travel experience, cultural amenities and impeccable service we offer to those traveling to Morocco. Once of our most recent guest who took a 10 Day cultural tour to Morocco with Travel Exploration stated in their Morocco travel testimonial:

” We have been home for 2 weeks from our Travel Exploration Morocco Private Tour and would to share some thoughts about our phenomenal trip to Morocco. Alecia Cohen did a wonderful job in making the arrangements for our 10 Ten Day Private Morocco Tour. Ms. Cohen’s responsiveness to our many emails and questions involved in the planning process of our trip was excellent. The Riads Ms. Cohen hand- selected for us were wonderful and Travel Exploration’s Historical Guides were simply wonderful. All of the guides demonstrated great historic knowledge and the driver that was assigned by Travel Exploration for our tour was simply the best. Morocco was a wonderful country to visit. From the sand dunes of the Sahara to the snow capped mountains of the High Atlas and the variety in between (lush valleys, rushing waters, deep canyons, arid desert, beautiful rock formations, and lush palm trees oases). Morocco is a land full of contrasts – all easily seen in 10 days. There were many contrasts that struck me as wonderful from the ancient medinas (old cities) in Marrakech and Fes as well as the Kasbahs in Ouarzazate alongside the modern movie making industry there. The day we spent driving through the Ourika Valley and climbing to the Setti Fatima, Seven Water Falls was special as was the memorable day we spent at the Roman Ruins at Volubilis and the Imperial Cities of Meknes. Besides our wonderful, wonderful driver, Ismail (Smain), the employees of the Riads and the Guesthouses were kind and friendly. Those at Riad Myra in Fes truly spoiled us. We can heartily recommend Travel Exploration Morocco! We would be happy to talk at length (or briefly) to anyone who would like to contact us who is planning on booking a tour.”

Travel Exploration specializes in Morocco Travel. We provide Tours and travel opportunities to Morocco for the independent traveler and tailor-made tours for families and groups with a distinctly unique flavor. From Morocco’s Seven Imperial Cities, to the Magical Sahara Travel Exploration offers a captivating experience that will inspire you. At Travel Exploration we guarantee that you will discover the best of Morocco! Call Travel Exploration at 1 (800) 787-8806 or 1 (917)703-2078 and let’s book a tour to Morocco for you today.

Travel Exploration is a Morocco Tour agency that offers a unique and wide range of Morocco travel opportunities through its boutique Morocco travel itineraries. Travel Exploration Morocco’s Director, Alecia J. Cohen heads up Morocco Travel’s New York and Ouarzazate office. Alecia J. Cohen started Travel Exploration Morocco with business partner Hossaine Amiri after living, traveling and engaging with Moroccan Culture alongside its people for nine years. Ms. Cohen was inspired to create a Morocco travel agency that offers unique, tailor-made cultural tours and customized trips to Morocco to better serve Americans, Europeans and Foreigners who are looking for affordable luxury and cultural Morocco Tours.

Ms. Alecia J. Cohen is an expert on Moroccan travel, culture and the domain of magazine print/ online publishing as well as the subject of “world music.” Alecia J. Cohen is the Founder of Global Rhythm Magazine and Globalrhythm.net. Ms.Cohen is also the former Associate Publisher Zenbu Media Group and spent 3 years leading the publishing company’s expansion of Relix, Metal Edge, Metal Maniacs niche music magazines alongside spearheading the premier of a Country Life USA- a Country Music & Lifestyle magazine.

Ms. Alecia J. Cohen has lectured at the World Bank on Culture & Sustainable Development in Africa and been featured in various print and TV venues including CNN Financial News, Entrepreneurial Edge, Crain’s and Entrepreneur.

As a Morocco Travel Specialist, Alecia J. Cohen launched Travel Exploration Morocco Agency with the goal to offer a wide range of services to Moroccan travelers and travel agents who are looking for authentic Moroccan travel experiences for themselves or their guests- with the guarantee of first class services while traveling in Morocco.

The services that Travel Exploration Morocco provides range from:

– Planning a Morocco Tour From Start to Finish to Morocco’s Imperial Cities, the Sahara region and sea side resorts.

– Providing a Detailed Morocco Travel Itinerary for Imperial City Tours and one-day excursions from all regions of Morocco including Casablanca, Rabat, Marrakech, Fes, Meknes.

– Private Morocco Guide & Private Morocco Hosting services for Americans and foreigners traveling to Morocco who are interested in specialty services such as research, Shopping for Moroccan textiles, Moroccan carpets or Moroccan clothing styles along with research trips for educators and university students.

– Creating and Hosting New Boutique, Special Morocco Tours for Moroccan Travelers looking for a reason to travel or for an impromptu adventure.

The new boutique tour recently launched by Travel Exploration is, Bead Your Way To Morocco – Trade Bead & Treasure Hunting Tour with Source Collector and Moroccan/ Jewelry Expert, Sarah Corbett. This new tour edition offers a striking example of the private services and Moroccan Specialist opportunities available in Morocco.

If you are a travel agent and would like to offer our range of holidays to your clients, please get in touch with Travel Exploration Morocco. We work actively with the travel trade and will also provide you with our range of holiday brochures in PDF files.

Travel Exploration specializes in Morocco Travel. We provide Tours and travel opportunities to Morocco for the independent traveler and tailor-made tours for families and groups with a distinctly unique flavor. From Morocco’s Seven Imperial Cities, to the Magical Sahara Travel Exploration offers a captivating experience that will inspire you. At Travel Exploration we guarantee that you will discover the best of Morocco! Call Travel Exploration at 1 (800) 787-8806 or 1 (917)703-2078 and let’s book a tour to Morocco for you today.

The Erg Chegaga Dunes of Morocco are the perfect place for a Sahara Adventure allowing Moroccan Travelers to escape the city lights and find themselves literally in the middle of no where. Erg Chegaga is considered by many to be the “real” Sahara Desert with it’s authentic rustic colored sand dunes and unique flora and fauna. Until recently cell phone coverage was not available in Chigaga and a Sahara journey to the Erg Chegaga Dunes was intended for those who wanted to discover the rocky and desolate areas of the Sahara. Historically speaking, the French and the British were primarily interested in visiting Chegaga however in the past several years that has changed. Americans, Europeans, Asians, Africans and also Moroccans who are interested in an authentic Sahara Desert adventure that takes them deep into the vast Sahara frequent Morocco’s Erg Chigaga Dunes. Centuries ago, the Sahara Desert was covered with water that flowed through and over it. Morocco’s Sahara akin to its rocky piste region of the Onila Valley and Telouet were created by the geologic submergence of water and wind that pressed up against its basalt rock and has today created some of what make up the most magnificent landscape scenery in the Maghreb.

The result of this deluge of water created a Sahara Desert of artifacts found near remains of giraffe, elephant, buffalo, antelopes, rhinoceros, and warthog, as well as the remains of fish, crocodiles, hippopotamuses and other aquatic animals. According to archeologists, the Sahara was much more densely populated thousands of years ago when the desert’s climate was not as harsh as it is today. Fossils, rock art, stone artifacts, bone harpoons, shells and many other items have been found in areas which today are considered too hot and dry to inhabit.

The Sahara is the world’s largest non-arctic desert, and technically the world’s third largest desert. At over 9,000,000 square kilometers it covers most of North Africa, almost equivalent to the size of the United States of America. The Sahara desert stretches from the Red Sea, including parts of the Mediterranean coasts, to the outskirts of the Atlantic Ocean.The Sahara has a history that can be traced back to over 3 million years. Erg Chigaga is the only authentic Sahara Desert where the Erg Chigaga dunes lie within a wilderness where the only accommodation is in desert camps. This region is home to the Ait Atta Berber nomads. The Berbers are one of the oldest known inhabitants of the Sahara Desert. They are the people that occupied (and still occupy) more than two thirds of the Sahara’s total surface. The Erg Chigaga Sahara Desert is not built up in the same way as the Merzouga Sahara & Zagora Sahara. Aside from sand dunes and camels, there are only nomad families, wells for water usage, one school, twisted tamarisk trees, apple trees, the Black Sahara (hammada), Iriqui salt flats and Sacred Heart Oasis. Erg Chigaga is for the dye hard Sahara Desert Travelers.

3 DAY ERG CHEGAGA (CHIGAGA TOUR) FROM OUARZAZATE

OUARZAZATE – ERG CHEGAGA (CHIGAGA) – M’HAMID SAHARA DESERT

DAY 1: OUARZAZATE – AGDZ – DRAA VALLEY – ZAGORA

►Your Driver will pick you up at your Riad/ Hotel in Ouarzazate at 9:00am to travel to Morocco’s Erg Chegaga Sahara Desert in a 4×4.

►Visit Kasbah des Cigognes which offers a panoramic view of the lake. Continue the road through the Draa Valley, passing Agdz. Once in Agdz continue the road by piste through the Tizi n’Tinififft Pass.

►Have lunch in local restaurant.

►After lunch cross directly through the Draa Valley and witness its incredible volcanic rock, plantations of palmarys and ksours. Arrive in Zagora.

►Diner and Spend the night at a Riad located within the palmary of Zagora.

DAY 2: ZAGORA – TAMAGROUTE – CHEGAGA (CHIGAGA)

►Breakfast at your Riad in Zagora.

▶Visit the old Kasbah Ait Lkaid in the village of Amzrou. At the end of the main road you will ﬁnd the famous road sign to Timbuktu that reads “52 jours” – 52 hours by camel.

▶Next visit Zagora’s unique, beautifully glazed forest green pottery at the local cooperative in the desert town of Tamagroute. The holy village of Tamegroute’s claim to fame through out history is the beautiful pottery created that has a glaze made of henna and is sun dried.

▶Visit the old Zaouia in Zagora and its underground channels where people live and work.

▶Before taking the road to the Chegaga Sahara Desert, visit he Koranic Library that once held 40,000 volumes and theological college dating from the 11th century. The library contains a collection of illuminated Korans, the oldest of which are written on gazelle skins.

►Take the road to M’hamid. Have lunch in the M’hamid Sahara Desert.

▶ Continue the road by piste to Erg Chegaga then go by dromedary camel trek for 1 hour at sunset into the Erg Chegaga Dunes to camp overnight in a Biouvac tent. Your Tuareg guide will share some of the Sahara Deserts’ secrets. As you glide across humpback on these silent, mystical dunes there will be countless opportunities to photograph the endless rolling dunes.

▶Breakfast in the Erg Chegaga Dunes. Then take the road to Foum Zguid. You will pass deep, desert landscapes, dromedaries along side Nomad families that live in tents.

▶Visit Iriqui, the dry lake and Sahara desert plateau of Akassia. Enjoy lunch at an Oasis.

▶Take the road through Tazenackt, the region that is famous for Berber carpets. Then continue the road back to Ouarzazate This ends your Sahara Tour & Camel Trek to the M’hamid and Erg Chegaga Sahara Dunes in Morocco’s Sahara Desert.

3 DAY ERG CHEGAGA (CHIGAGA TOUR) FROM MARRAKECH

MARRAKECH – ERG CHEGAGA (CHIGAGA) – M’HAMID SAHARA DESERT

DAY 1: MARRAKECH – ZAGORA

►Your Driver will pick you up at your Riad/ Hotel in Marrakech at 9:00am to travel to Morocco’s Erg Chegaga Sahara Desert in a 4×4.

►En route from Marrakech to Zagora, stop to visit the Argan Cooperative where women make Argan Oil, Argan butter and cosmetics. Have a complimentary tasting and sample the products.

►Stop in the Tizin’ Tichka Pass, which boasts breathtaking views of the Tichka region as you continue your journey to the Sahara Desert for tea.

►Arrive in Ouarzazate. Visit the Ait Benhaddou Kasbah. Lunch in Ait Benhaddou at a restaurant with views of the Kasbah.

►Take the road by piste to visit the picturesque village of Aït Benhaddoulocated 32 km from Ouarzazate. Aït Benhaddou is situated in Souss-Massa-Draâ on a hill along the Ouarzazate River. Lawrence of Arabia was filmed here and Orson Welles used it as a location for Sodome and Gomorrah; and for Jesus of Nazareth the whole lower part of the village was rebuilt. In recent years more controlled restoration has been carried out under UNESCO auspices. Aït Benhaddou is one of many locations in this region used for shooting Hollywood films.

►Your guide will lead you on a private tour through this Berber village of towered and crenulated kasbahs that once guarded the lucrative caravan route through the Atlas Mountains. Explore the kasbahs by foot with the option to ride a donkey across a river.

►Your guide will share the fascinating history of Aït Benhaddou, which once served as the former caravan route between the Sahara and Marrakesh in present-day Morocco. Most of the town’s inhabitants now live in a more modern village at the other side of the river; ten families however still live within the ksar.

►Aït Benhaddou was once a significant stop for traders carrying gold, salt and slaves along the famous Southern Caravan route moving through the Sahara. Only six miles away, is the village of Tamdaght, dominated by the canyon walls of a Glaoui Kasbah. The Kasbah is famous and you will find its towers inhabited by storks. Walk outside the Kasbah’s lush terraced gardens and witness the same desert scenery that used in Gladiator and Alexander the Great.

►Continue the road through the Draa Valley. Arrive in Zagora.

►Spend the night at a Riad within a Palmary of Zagora.

DAY 2: ZAGORA – TAMAGROUTE – M’HAMID- ERG CHEGAGA (CHIGAGA)

►Breakfast at your riad.

▶Visit the old Kasbah Ait Lkaid in the village of Amzrou. At the end of the main road you will ﬁnd the famous road sign to Timbuktu that reads “52 jours” – 52 hours by camel.

▶Next visit Zagora’s unique, beautifully glazed forest green pottery at the local cooperative in the desert town of Tamagroute. The holy village of Tamegroute’s claim to fame through out history is the beautiful pottery created that has a glaze made of henna and is sun dried.

▶Visit the old Zaouia in Zagora and its underground channels where people live and work.

▶Before taking the road to the M’hamid Sahara Desert, visit he Koranic Library that once held 40,000 volumes and theological college dating from the 11th century. The library contains a collection of illuminated Korans, the oldest of which are written on gazelle skins.

►Lunch in Zagora, take the road to the M’hamid Sahara Desert. Visit the M’hamid Sahara Dunes then continue the road to Erg Chegaga.

▶ Arrive in Erg Chegaga then go by dromedary camel trek for 1 hour at sunset into the M’hamid Dunes to camp overnight in a Berber Biouvac tent. Your Tuareg guide will share some of the Sahara Deserts’ secrets. As you glide across humpback on these silent, mystical dunes there will be countless opportunities to photograph the endless rolling dunes.

DAY 3: ERG CHEGAGA (CHIGAGA) – FOUM ZGUID – TAZENACKT – MARRAKECH

▶Breakfast in the Erg Chegaga Dunes. Then take the road to Foum Zguid. You will pass deep, desert landscapes, dromedaries and Rocky Mountains.

▶Take the road through Tazenackt, the region that is famous for Berber carpets. Then continue the road by pise to visit Kasbah Telouet and its famous Pacha Glaoui. Kasbah Telouet was once an important stop on the Southern Caravan route for traders carrying spices, slaves and other commodities. Telouet’s Kasbah also known as Dar Glaoui once served as the royal headquarters and residence of the Glaoui tribe. Until Morocco’s independence in 1956, the Glaoui had power in the central Moroccan and French administration.

►Lunch en route.

►Arrive in Marrakech in the early evening. This ends your Sahara Tour & Camel Trek to the M’hamid and Erg Chegaga Sahara Dunes in Morocco’s Sahara Desert.

4 DAY ERG CHEGAGA (CHIGAGA TOUR) FROM MARRAKECH

MARRAKECH – ERG CHEGAGA (CHIGAGA) – M’HAMID SAHARA DESERT

DAY 1: MARRAKECH – ZAGORA

►Your Driver will pick you up at your Riad/ Hotel in Marrakech at 9:00am to travel to Morocco’s Erg Chegaga Sahara Desert in a 4×4.

►En route from Marrakech to Zagora, stop to visit the Argan Cooperative where women make Argan Oil, Argan butter and cosmetics. Have a complimentary tasting and sample the products.

►Stop in the Tizin’ Tichka Pass, which boasts breathtaking views of the Tichka region as you continue your journey to the Sahara Desert for tea.

►Arrive in Ouarzazate. Visit the Ait Benhaddou Kasbah. Lunch in Ait Benhaddou at a restaurant with views of the Kasbah.

►Take the road by piste to visit the picturesque village of Aït Benhaddoulocated 32 km from Ouarzazate. Aït Benhaddou is situated in Souss-Massa-Draâ on a hill along the Ouarzazate River. Lawrence of Arabia was filmed here and Orson Welles used it as a location for Sodome and Gomorrah; and for Jesus of Nazareth the whole lower part of the village was rebuilt. In recent years more controlled restoration has been carried out under UNESCO auspices. Aït Benhaddou is one of many locations in this region used for shooting Hollywood films.

►Your guide will lead you on a private tour through this Berber village of towered and crenulated kasbahs that once guarded the lucrative caravan route through the Atlas Mountains. Explore the kasbahs by foot with the option to ride a donkey across a river.

►Your guide will share the fascinating history of Aït Benhaddou, which once served as the former caravan route between the Sahara and Marrakesh in present-day Morocco. Most of the town’s inhabitants now live in a more modern village at the other side of the river; ten families however still live within the ksar.

►Aït Benhaddou was once a significant stop for traders carrying gold, salt and slaves along the famous Southern Caravan route moving through the Sahara. Only six miles away, is the village of Tamdaght, dominated by the canyon walls of a Glaoui Kasbah. The Kasbah is famous and you will find its towers inhabited by storks. Walk outside the Kasbah’s lush terraced gardens and witness the same desert scenery that used in Gladiator and Alexander the Great.

►Continue the road through the Draa Valley. Arrive in Zagora.

►Spend the night at a Riad within a Palmary of Zagora.

DAY 2: ZAGORA – TAMAGROUTE – M’HAMID- ERG CHEGAGA (CHIGAGA)

►Breakfast at your riad.

▶Visit the old Kasbah Ait Lkaid in the village of Amzrou. At the end of the main road you will ﬁnd the famous road sign to Timbuktu that reads “52 jours” – 52 hours by camel.

▶Next visit Zagora’s unique, beautifully glazed forest green pottery at the local cooperative in the desert town of Tamagroute. The holy village of Tamegroute’s claim to fame through out history is the beautiful pottery created that has a glaze made of henna and is sun dried.

▶Visit the old Zaouia in Zagora and its underground channels where people live and work.

▶Before taking the road to the M’hamid Sahara Desert, visit he Koranic Library that once held 40,000 volumes and theological college dating from the 11th century. The library contains a collection of illuminated Korans, the oldest of which are written on gazelle skins.

►Lunch in Zagora, take the road to the M’hamid Sahara Desert. Visit the M’hamid Sahara Dunes then continue the road to Erg Chegaga.

▶ Arrive in Erg Chegaga then go by dromedary camel trek for 1 hour at sunset into the M’hamid Dunes to camp overnight in a Berber Biouvac tent. Your Tuareg guide will share some of the Sahara Deserts’ secrets. As you glide across humpback on these silent, mystical dunes there will be countless opportunities to photograph the endless rolling dunes.

DAY 3: ERG CHEGAGA (CHIGAGA) – FOUM ZGUID – SKOURA

▶Breakfast in the Erg Chegaga Dunes. Then take the road to Foum Zguid. You will pass deep, desert landscapes, dromedaries and Rocky Mountains.

▶Take the road to Skoura which is known for its Valley of 1000 Kasbahs. Visit Skoura. Dinner & Spend the night at a Guest House that has views of the Skoura Palmary and 1000 Kasbahs.

►Lunch en route.

►Arrive in Marrakech in the early evening. This ends your Sahara Tour & Camel Trek to the M’hamid and Erg Chegaga Sahara Dunes in Morocco’s Sahara Desert.

DAY 4: SKOURA – AIT BENHADDOU – MARRAKECH

►Breakfast at the Guesthouse in Skoura. Visit Ait Benhaddou.

► Located 32 km from Ouarzazate lies the picturesque village. Aït Benhaddou of Aït Benhaddou is situated in Souss-Massa-Draa on a hill along the Ouarzazate River. Lawrence of Arabia was filmed here and Orson Welles used it as a location for Sodome and Gomorrah; and for Jesus of Nazareth the whole lower part of the village was rebuilt. In recent years more controlled restoration has been carried out under UNESCO auspices. Aït Benhaddou is one of many locations in this region used for shooting Hollywood films.

►Your guide will lead you on a private tour through this Berber village of towered and crenulated Kasbahs that once guarded the lucrative caravan route through the Atlas Mountains. Explore the Kasbahs by foot with the option to ride a donkey across a river

►Make sure to bring along your camera and photograph this spectacular site and the stunning views that surround this Kasbah and its crenellated towers and dark red pise walls. By the river, you will find observe a collection of Kasbahs whose walls are decorated with blind arches and geometric designs. Make sure to take a walk behind the Kasbah and visit the series of ksars, individual plain earth houses still inhabited by Berber families. Your guide will share the fascinating history of Aït Benhaddou which once served as the former caravan route between the Sahara and Marrakech in present-day Morocco. Most of the town’s inhabitants now live in a more modern village at the other side of the river; ten families however still live within the ksar. Aït Benhaddou was once a significant stop for traders carrying gold, salt and slaves along the famous Southern Caravan route moving through the Sahara.

and enjoy a traditional Moroccan tajine. After lunch, browse the village shops then climb back in the comfortable air-conditioned/heated 4×4 and head to the village of Tamadaght.

►Next take the road back to Marrakech, passing the Tiz N Tichka Pass with its impressive High Atlas Mountain views.

►Enroute stop at the Argan Cooperative where you can see women make Argan oil, butter and cosmetic products from the Argan nut. Continue the road and arrive in Marrakech in the early evening. This ends your Travel Exploraiton Morocco Sahara journey.

Travel Exploration specializes in Morocco Travel. We provide Tours and travel opportunities to Morocco for the independent traveler and tailor-made tours for families and groups with a distinctly unique flavor. From Morocco’s Seven Imperial Cities, to the Magical Sahara Travel Exploration offers a captivating experience that will inspire you. At Travel Exploration we guarantee that you will discover the best of Morocco! Call Travel Exploration at 1 (800) 787-8806 or 1 (917)703-2078 and let’s book a tour to Morocco for you today.

Travel Exploration Morocco is a Morocco Travel agency that has been in business for just four years and has climbed to the forefront of the Morocco travel business through offering unique tours to Morocco. Travel Exploration Morocco has a wide variety of boutique tours to Morocco that enable travelers to have an off the beat overseas adventure travel experience while engaging in an authentic visit to the Maghreb.

During the past decade the Kingdom of Morocco has expanded its footprint throughout the world as it’s well respected and recognized King Mohammed VI chose a progressive path to modernize Morocco and help its lower class rise up through providing a better life. Mohammed VI has also modernized Morocco through his progressive views on communication, construction and the arts. Morocco is virtually wired and Moroccan travelers can be assured that when visiting they will be able to reach home through their international cell phone from almost every part of the country. Morocco is wired from Safi to the Sahara. Every Imperial City offers a wide range of internet options from internet cafes to free wife lounges and for only $60.00 a modem can be purchased and within minutes you can be online.

Morocco’s King Mohammed VI has also led a path to housing in urban areas by encouraging a variety of projects from new apartment buildings to luxury villas. While Morocco may have an over abundance of housing in its major cities as a result of this, one thing that any new Moroccan resident is guaranteed are options of a place to live.

Marrakech is also on the verge of expanding to have gigamalls and other kinds of shopping and eating plazas. For outsiders it may appear to be a bit much or headed to the mainstream if it has not already but for residents of Morocco it is a welcome change and opportunity to find goods that were for so long hard to locate in the Maghreb.

The arts are also flourishing in Morocco from public art being shown at Marrakech’s new train station to regular international exhibitions being held at the Contemporary Museum of Marrakech. While there is not one major museum in Morocco there is a plethora of fine art, crafts and Moroccan Jewelry art available in all of the medina’s, within the new city centers of Marrakech, Fes, Ouarzazate, Casablanca and Essaouira along with a mélange of imports that while are available at a high price can well be worth the purchase.

The better life for the average Moroccan who lives off agriculture means being able to till their fields regardless of volatile weather and having the advantage of knowing that additional supplements of wheat and other grains or means for their fields are available through local government assistance or through national government assistance.

King Mohamed VI has also achieved expanding Morocco’s footprint on the world stage through his moderate views of allowing so many foreigners to visit and settle as residents in the majestic Maghreb. Morocco is on the upswing attracting more tourism then ever before and offering more value for its money.

People who consider traveling to Morocco for the first time have so many options to choose from with regards to accommodations, eating choices and vacation experiences. Marrakech, often referred to as the Paris of Morocco for its lush green parks, colorful shops, elegant monuments and clean streets offers Moroccan travelers the opportunity to stay in 4 or 5 Star Traditional Moroccan Riads with welcoming tea service and all of the amenities plus more that one could find on a vacation to Europe. Marrakech compliments this by also offer 3 Star Riads that are charming and a variety of 3 Star, 4 Star and 5 Star Upscale and reasonably priced hotel accommodations.

Say the word food in the Maghreb and your lips are likely to moisten quickly. Every city in Morocco is known for having great cuisine. Wherever you travel on your Moroccan vacation, providing you chose a customized Morocco tour, a Morocco travel agency or do the research on your own, you are bound to have some of the best meals of your life in either a restaurant or with a local Moroccan family.

The best times to visit Morocco are in April and May as well as September and October. Moroccans are welcoming and traveling to Morocco during any season guarantees a spectacular holiday experience.

Traveling to Morocco to visit its Waterfalls and Kasbahs is also another way to see Morocco without engaging full time with the hustle and bustle of Morocco’s Imperial Cities.

A Pottery and Zellij Tile Design Tour is yet another option that will engage the senses and allow you as an artists, Moroccan traveler and professor to learn the ancient tricks of the trade that old Fasis artists use to hand make Zellij tile and Fassis Pottery.

For the Moroccan traveler who is longing for a cuisine adventure, Travel Exploration offers A Taste of Morocco and for those interested in history and architecture, the opportunity to Discover Fes on an extended tour. For the Moroccan traveler who is interested in escaping to a seaside town of tranquility then the artist colony/ seaside resort of Essaouira is an option. For those who desire a visit to the Sahara, a camel trek or Quad riding tour visiting the region of Merzouga’s Erg Chebbi Dunes or M’hamids’ Sahara Desert is the way to go.

With all of the amazing travel opportunities available in the 21st Century Morocco is a hotspot that offers the perfect holiday vacation filled with adventure, art, history and entertainment.

Travel Exploration specializes in Morocco Travel. We provide Tours and travel opportunities to Morocco for the independent traveler and tailor-made tours for families and groups with a distinctly unique flavor. From Morocco’s Seven Imperial Cities, to the Magical Sahara Travel Exploration offers a captivating experience that will inspire you. At Travel Exploration we guarantee that you will discover the best of Morocco! Call Travel Exploration at 1 (800) 787-8806 or 1 (917)703-2078 and let’s book a tour to Morocco for you today.

Bead your Way Through Morocco is a Moroccan Jewelry & Trade Bead Treasure Hunting Tour created by Travel Exploration Morocco and hosted by Sarah Corbett, a Tribal Jewelry Expert. Travel Exploration Morocco is a Ouarzazate based Travel Agency and the first to offer this customized Moroccan Jewelry & Trade Bead Tour to Morocco with a Tribal Jewelry Expert.

Bead Your Way Through Morocco, Travel Exploration’s new quarterly Moroccan Jewelry & Bead Treasure Hunting Tour will launch it’s first Morocco travel itinerary on April 26th – May 9th, 2010. Bead Your Way Through Morocco will take Moroccan antique, trade bead enthusiasts and Moroccan jewelry collectors through a variety of Southern Moroccan cities, (Ait Ouzzine, Agdz, Tarodaunt, Tiznit) Saharan Desert Towns, (Zagora, M’hamid) the Seaside city of Essaouira and the Imperial city of Marrakech.

At the lead of Travel Exploration’s Bead Your Way Through Morocco Tour is Sarah Corbett, a Tribal Jewelry Expert who has focused her research, documentation and exploration on ethnic and tribal adornment from North Africa and the Sahara region for the past ten years. Corbett takes immense pride in sourcing and selecting antique tribal pieces for Museums and collectors worldwide. Corbett also makes some of these pieces (Moroccan Jewelry, Antique Silver Fibulas, Moroccan Hamsas, Trade Beads, Antique Beads) available to a wider audience through Vivid Trading.com.

Bead enthusiasts and jewelry collectors who attend the Bead Your Way Through Morocco Tour will be able to participate in a bead-making workshop in Morocco and have several viewings and purchasing opportunities of antique tribal beads and trade beads.

Bead enthusiasts and jewelry collectors who attend the Bead Your Way Through Morocco Tour will be shown a variety of renowned beads of antiquity such as Moroccan Amber, Moroccan Coral, Moroccan Copal, Moroccan Berber & Tuareg Silver and Venetian Beads (Trade Beads) at private viewings. These Moroccan jewelry treasures will be shown to guests by some of Morocco’s Tuareg and Berber traders who have their pulse on the most valued antique beads, trade beads and silver jewelry in Morocco alongside unique jewelry that passes through the North Africa region.

This 14 Day/ 13 Night Jewelry Treasure Hunting Tour to Morocco will also include a visit to the Bouthgrars’ Valley of Nomads, the Dades Valley region, a sunset camel trek to the M’hamid Sahara Desert Dunes, a visit to Amzrou, Zagora’s Jewish Mellah, known for it ancient silver making traditions and Taradount, often referred to as the mini- Marrakech whose orange ramparts surround its quiet people live tucked beneath the Souss Valley.

The trip will commence with a visit to Essaouira by the sea, where Moroccan Jewelry collectors and bead enthusiasts who have attended the tour can relax by the beach while still squeezing in one last viewing from a private Moroccan jewelry trader in the heart of old Mogador.

Travel Exploration Morocco’s Tour Host, Sarah Corbett actively participates in world bead studies, to record and preserve the knowledge of these amazing art forms, their creation and evolution. Recently Sarah has become involved in the translation of the works of Mr. Bert Flint the founder of the Tiskiwin Museum in Marrakech. As a result of Corbett’s connection, the Bead Your Way Through Morocco Tour will also include a one-hour private lecture at the Tiskiwin Museum with viewings of priceless pieces.

Bead Your Way Through Morocco is the perfect tour for Morocco travel adventurers who are also Moroccan jewelry and bead collectors who wish to see Morocco’s cultural and historical sites while treasure hunting in the Maghreb. Bead Your Way Through Morocco is definitely worth adding to your Morocco vacation or Morocco travel holiday plan.

DAY 1: CASABALNCA – MARRAKECH

►Flight Arrival at Casablanca’s International Airport.

►Have breakfast and then visit the Mosque of Hassan II. Casablanca is home to the Hassan II Mosque, designed by the French architect Michel Pinseau. It is situated on a promontory looking out to the Atlantic, which can be seen through a gigantic glass floor with room for 25,000 worshippers. Its minaret is the world’s tallest at 210 meters. It is an enormous architectural masterpiece and the second largest religious building in the world. On Fridays, the Mosque of Hassan II is open to non-Muslims. The Mosque of Hassan II’s promontory offers lovely views overlooking Casa in the residential Afna quarter.

►After visiting the Hassan II Mosque, take the road to Marrakech. Arrive in Marrakech in the afternoon, check into your Riad. Relax and unwind, then visit Djemma El Fna Square.

►Welcome dinner at Le Marrakech’s which is filled with beautiful, old Zellij tile and has a view of Djemma El Fna Square.

►Your introduction to Marrakech will begin in the new city, we will navigate our way to French, Gueliz and head to the Majorelle Gardens, a magical and lush small garden estate designed by Jacque Majorelle and maintained by Yves Saint Laurent. The Majorelle Garden is filled with colorful walkways, ponds, cactus and plants as well as a beautiful shop with hand-made goods. On our return to your hotel, we will pass by the La Mammounia Hotel Garden (where Alfred Hitchcock wrote the famous film The Birds).

►Visit the 19th Century Bahia Palace originally built for Si Moussa, a former slave who became King Moulay Hassan’s chamberlain. The palace holds a courtyard and riads decorated with and the most beautiful carved stucco, Arabic architecture. Next visit the 16th Century Saadian Tombs and El Mansour mosque. Marrakech is a city of underground channels built by the architects from Cordoba, Spain to provide water for the town and Palmary.

►Next visit the old, Medina, the old quarter of the Marrakech. From here we will explore this historically charming area by foot. In Djemma el Fna, you will visit the famous 12th century Koutouba Mosque and its influential minaret.

►Your guide will lead you through the labyrinth streets and alleys of the Djemma. Enjoy aromatic smells, taste fresh squeezed orange juice and venture into the souks specializing in Berber carpets, silver jewelry, artisan workshops, handmade shoes and tanneries. Enjoy a three- course lunch consisting of fresh salad, tajine and fruit at one of Marrakech most delectable restaurants.

►Next we will visit the Museum or Tiskiwin, a private museum dedicated to popular arts & crafts, styled as a beautiful Spanish-Moroccan house, next door to Dar Si Said palace, a smaller version of the Bahia. Visit the courtyard.

►Tiskiwin Museum Lecture: You will have a first hand viewing of the Tiskiwin and listen to a one-hour lecture and exploration of its history, be shown its private bead and jewelry collection.

►Jewelry & Treasures of Marrakech Viewing:Late afternoon/ Evening viewing of Moroccan Jewelry pieces at your Riad by a local Tuareg Trader in Marrakech. Enjoy a private two- hour viewing of fabulous beads, jewels and local silver pieces available for purchase and historical discussion about the origin and meaning of these pieces.

►Pass through Agadir and witness the Argan goats in trees nestling in to eat away at the Argan nuts which are typically used in making Argan Oil, Butter and Cosmetics.

►Stop in Agadir or in a small village for lunch, then continue the road to Tiznit. Tiznit is a town in the southern Moroccan economic region of Souss-Massa- Draa founded in 1881 by the Sultan Hassan I. It has a population of approximately 50,000. Tiznit is well known for its silver jewelry, daggers and sabres.

►Rise, have breakfast at your Riad. Then spend half-day visiting the Jewelry Souk in the center of Tiznit and a a journey to Bab Lakhmis Ait M’hamid where you will have access to and study the variety of kinds of Southern Moroccan and Mauranitian beads and jewelry. You will also be able to make purchases there to add to your collection.

►Have lunch in Tiznit, and then take the road to Taradount.

►Arrive in Taroudant, check into your Riad.

►Dinner and Spend the night in a 4 Star Riad in Taroudaunt.

DAY 5: TAROUDANT (TRADE BEAD MAKING WORKSHOP)

►Rise, have breakfast at your Riad, and then begin your exploration of Taroudaunt.

►Taroudant is a Moroccan city located in the Souss Valley in the southern part of the country. It is situated eat from Agadir on the road to Ouarzazate and south from Marrakech. It has the feel of a small-fortified market town on some caravan route. It is also known for its local crafts like jewelry and carpets. Taroudant is often referred to as the “Grandmother of Marrakech” because it is a scaled down, slowed down town that resembles Marrakech with its surrounding ramparts. Unlike Marrakech, Taroudant contains almost the whole city within its walls.

►Visit the old medina for a two-hours, then take the road just outside Taroudant to a small workshop that produces traditional Berber beads and is the original place that makes jewelry for the Souks throughout Morocco. Spend half the day watching the actual production of beads.

►View The Trade Bead-Making Process:View the bead-making process detail at the workshop where you can create your own jewelry from the beads that you have seen produced that day – which will be yours to keep as a souvenir of your visit. There will be access to a wide selection of beads available.

►Bead Demonstration Of Rare Bead-making Traditions:
During your workshop you will have the opportunity to witness a demo of three different styles of bead making, two of which are “rare’.” Trade Bead making enthusiasts will enjoy this demonstration, as it will enable them to view how old traditions are still be practiced, produced and carried on in Morocco. Some of these traditions include utilizing couscous and other original Moroccan traditions to create beads. This “rare” tradition will be seen and recorded for the first time during our visit.

►There will be an opportunity to also purchase beads and special silver and other Moroccan Jewelry during your Bead Making Workshop in Taroudant.

►Lunch in Taroudant. After lunch there is the option to continue Moroccan Bead and Jewelry Treasure Hunting or return to your Riad to relax for the evening.

►Dinner & Spend the night at a 4 Star Riad in Taroudant.

DAY 6: TAROUDAUNT – TALIOUINE – AGDZ (GUIDED HISTORICAL TOUR)

►Breakfast at your Riad. Then spend take the road to Agdz. En route to Agdz, you will stop at the Taliouine Saffron Cooperative. Taliouine is the traditional area of cultivation of saffron in Morocco and has been for hundreds of years. The Taliouine Souktana cooperative is on the road to Taroudant, in the village of Taliouine, in the heart of Sirwa Mountains. The Taliouine Cooperative sells only truly biological saffron, cultivated according the traditional ways, with natural fertilizers. The mountains dry climate is ideal for such a culture.

►Arrive in Agdz and visit a local, traditional Moroccan small store that is famous for its antique beads such as amber, coral, copal and also offers up a fantastic array of antique silver Moroccan Jewelry. After treasure hunting in Agdz, take the road by piste to Kasbah Tamnogault.

►Dinner and Spend the night just outside Agdz at the famous Tamnougalt Kasbah.

DAY 7: AGDZ – KASBAH TAMNOGAULT – ZAGORA

►Breakfast at your Riad. Take the road to visit the village of Ait Ouzzine.

►Aït Ouzzine is a Berber villageinhabited by over 300 families who live in beautifully painted crenulated Kasbahs, with their own henna fields, water wells, livestock and gardens. This peaceful village is tucked away along an impressive desert route connecting the Draa Valley (Tansikht) and Rissani.

►Meet a local Berber family, partake in a cooking lesson of how to make traditional bread, couscous and a tajine.

►Then explore and tour the village by foot. Walk in the green fields and see how the traditional Berbers live with their gardens of herbs, livestock, and henna plants.

►Lunch will be served to you in Aït Ouzzine by a traditional Berber family. The menu will include a traditional meal of fresh baked bread with spices and a chicken and vegetable tajine and fresh local fruits for desert.

►After lunch, you can have your hands and feet painted with henna or your hair adorned with saffron by a local village artist and relax. Experience the tradition of Berber perfume made from musk and amber along with the villages own spices.

►End the afternoon in Ait Ouzzine with mint tea and almonds. Take the road back to Ouarzazate.

►Dinner and Spend the night at a 4 Star Riad located within a Palmary of old Zagora.

DAY 8: ZAGORA – TAMAGROUTE – AMZROU – M’HAMID

►Breakfast at your Riad in the Zagora Sahara, then begin your visit of Zagora, a Saharan deserttown in the southern Draa Valley.Zagora is favored by travelers for its desert dunes, palms, 45 varieties of dates and its Hollywood sunset mountain backdrops. Take the road by piste (windy road) to discover the land where caravans once transported sugar, tea, dates and other dry goods to Ouarzazate.

►Explore theTamegroute Pottery Cooperative:
Learn how the local, forest green, glazed pottery is made and ﬁred using regional henna. The holy village of Tamegroute’s claim to fame through out history is the beautiful pottery created that has a glaze made of henna and is sun dried.

►You will enjoy a workshop lead by Tamagroute pottery masterswhereby you will learn how the pottery unique to this region of Zagora is made. You will learn the history as well as their local techniques. An English translator will be provided along with all necessary materials for you to make your own Tamagroute pottery. Everything you make you will be able to keep.

►Visit the ancient Zaouia site and the Koranic library. Tamegroute has a Koranic Library that once held 40,000 volumes and theological college dating from the 11th century. The library contains a collection of illuminated Korans, the oldest of which are written on gazelle skins.

The Art of Silversmiths in Amzrou:►Next, visit the village of Amzrou and it’s old Jewish Mellah. See how silversmiths work to make hand made silver fibulas and Southern Crosses. Watch how molds are made from scratch, then how the Sahara’s sand is used to bind the molds for creating jewelry. The Jews who inhabited this village in the 1950’s taught the silver smiths in Amzrou their craft. Before the fled to Israel, they left a long history of craftsmanship along with the land to continue their silver making jewelry tradition. There will be an opportunity for bead buying, silver buying and also for purchasing of old artifacts.

►View the old Mellah’s Museum and artifacts for viewing and for purchase. Amzrou and the old city boasts a private area filled with artifacts that are of Berber, Jewish and Arabic origin.

►After exploring Amzrou, take the road to the M’hamid Sahara. Sunset camel trek into the M’hamid Sahara Dunes. Dinner at your luxury bivouac tent in the M’hamid Dunes. Spend the night in the M’hamid Sahara Desert.

DAY 9: M’HAMID – DRAA VALLEY – SKOURA

►Breakfast in the M’hamid Sahara Desert. Then take the road to Skoura.

►En route to Skoura, you will pass the magnificent Draa Valley, its Berber villages and the old routes where caravans once passed. The Draa Valley is surrounded with volcanic rock and breathtaking landscapes.

►Lunch and half-day visit of Skoura.

►Skourais a fertile oasis lined with immense palm groves that provide great views of the Atlas Mountains alongside
deserted landscapes. It is renowned for the cultivation of roses. The palm groves were laid out in the 12th century by the Almohad sultan Yacoub el-Mansour and named after its original inhabitants, the Berbers of the Haskourene tribe. The most beautiful Kasbahs in southern Morocco can be found here. Many of them are still partially inhabited.

►The most imposing of the Kasbahs in this area that you will tour is 17th Century Amerhidil Kasbah. This fortified residence once belonged to the most powerful family responsible for protecting the village and its lands called the Glaoui. Today it is owned by the Sheikh of Amerhidil.

►Touring the Kasbah is a most charming opportunity as its interior is now restored. The Amerhidil Kasbah is featured on a 50.00 note of Moroccan Dirhams and on an Orange Juice box branded, Marrakesh.

►After your visit of Skoura, check into your guest house which is located at the peak of Skoura and boasts views of the majestic Skoura Palmary and its one-thousand Kasbahs. Relax by the pool. Dinner at your Guest House with cuisine made with the olive oil that is locally produced in Skoura.

►Spend the night at a 4 Star Guest House in the Skoura Palmary.

DAY 10: OUARZAZATE (GUIDED HISTORICAL TOUR)

►Rise early, breakfast at your Riad and then take the road to visit the Ouarzazate region and its famous Kasbahs.

►“See Ouarzazate and die” are feelings often expressed by Moroccans with regards to this magical city that is the door to the Sahara Desert. Located just four hours from Marrakech, Ouarzazate is the main Berber city in the south known for its spectacular sunsets and dramatic mountain and desert scenery. Surrounded by breathtaking valleys, Ouarzazate was once crossing point for African traders seeking to reach northern cities in Morocco and Europe. During the French period, Ouarzazate expanded considerably as a garrison town and became the administrative centre of the Zagora region. Ouarzazate became famous when it’s nearby Kasbah; Ait Benhaddou appeared in the 1962 film Lawrence of Arabia.

►Take the windy road by piste visit the Oasis of Fint passing the “Plateau de pierres“. Journey on a one-hour walk inside the Oasiswhere you will have a cup of tea with the headmasters family Azziz Ouaziz and tour the surrounding area where date palm oases and dramatic desert scenery are king.

► Then take the road to Ait Benhaddou. Located 32 km from Ouarzazate lays the picturesque village. Aït Benhaddou of Aït Benhaddou is situated in Souss-Massa-Draa on a hill along the Ouarzazate River. Lawrence of Arabia was filmed here and Orson Welles used it as a location for Sodome and Gomorrah; and for Jesus of Nazareth the whole lower part of the village was rebuilt. In recent years more controlled restoration has been carried out under UNESCO auspices. Aït Benhaddou is one of many locations in this region used for shooting Hollywood films. Aït Benhaddou which once served as the former caravan route between the Sahara and Marrakech in present-day Morocco. Most of the town’s inhabitants now live in a more modern village at the other side of the river; ten families however still live within the ksar.

►Your guide will lead you on a private tour through this Berber village of towered and crenulated Kasbahs that once guarded the lucrative caravan route through the Atlas Mountains. Explore the Kasbahs by foot with the option to ride a donkey across a river. Aït Benhaddou which once served as the former caravan route between the Sahara and Marrakech in present-day Morocco. Most of the town’s inhabitants now live in a more modern village at the other side of the river; ten families however still live within the ksar. Aït Benhaddou was once a significant stop for traders carrying gold, salt and slaves along the famous Southern Caravan route moving through the Sahara.

►Next, visit Kasbah Taouirirt. Kasbah Taorirt was built by the Glaoui. Its location was strategic for trading routes and in the 1930’s when the Glaoui ruled the South it was then one of Morocco’s largest Kasbahs. Explore Kasbah Taouirirt’s nooks and crannies and discover some local female painters who sell their art inside as well as the many quality silver shops just steps outside the Kasbah.

►Dinner & Spend the night in a 4 Star Charming Riad in Ouarzazate.

Day 11: OUARZAZATE – BOUTHGRAR- VALLEY OF NOMADS – DADES VALLEY

►Breakfast at your Riad. Take the road to visit Bouthgrar, the Valley of Nomads and the Dades Valley.

►Begin your visit at the breathtaking Valley of Nomads. Located in Bouthgrar is the Valley of Nomads, a beautiful 10 kilometer valley where Nomads live in caves that are surrounded by Mount Mgoun. Mount Mgoun is the second highest mountain in Morocco and boasts extraordinary views. Have tea with a Nomad family. See first hand where they make their own carpets and co exist in Bouthgrar with other Nomad families.

►Your journey will then take you through the Dades Valley, which covers 125 km between Ouarzazate and Boumalne du Dadès in the High Atlas Mountains.

►Once you reach Boumalne at first sight you notice the limestone cliffs with uniquely shaped erosions and superb scenery and the valley’s pise (windy roads). Driving along you will pass flower filled fields, fertile fields, riverbanks and several fortified ksours. At the bottom of Gorge of Boumalne Dadès there are ruined hilltop Kasbahs and valley floor gardens.

►Lunch will be served at a nearby guesthouse that offers local Moroccan fare and a panoramic view. Relax and sip mint tea while gazing at the impressive valley view.

►Take the road back to Ouarzazate. Explore Ouarzazate’s famous areas that offer countless places to purchase old beads and Moroccan Jewelry.

►Dinner and Spend the Night at a 4 Start Charming Riad in Ouarzazate.

DAY 12: OUARZAZATE – MARRAKECH

►Rise, have breakfast at your Riad and then take the road to visit the Ouarzazate region and its famous Kasbahs.

►During your journey to Marrakech you will also pass the olive groves of the Oued Zat, as you ascend onto the Tizi-N-Tichka Pass Road. Built by the French in the 1920’s, the Tizi-N-Tichka Pass can be described as having mountainous barriers, Mediterranean and oceanic influences and desert borders. Along the route you will see panoramic views of the High Atlas Mountains as well as sights of fertile valleys, blue and red colored pise villages and other striking mineral environments.

▶En route you will go by piste to visit Kasbah Telout, one of Morocco’s hidden jewels and a famous Kasbahs that is the origin of the Pacha Glaoui Family. Kasbah Telout is hidden among a tiny road in a small village that is 20 minutes outside Tichka. Its history stands alone with its original zellij tile, authentic, preserved silks and grand remnants of the Glaoui family. Unlike the other Kasbahs in Southern Morocco, Telout was occupied by the Glaoui’s instead of the slaves and has stunning views. This Kasbahs has yet to be coined a UNESCO World Heritage site and while it appears in parts to be in ruins on the exterior, its interior is one of true splendor.

►En route stop for lunch and visit the Argan Cooperative where Argan Oil, Butter and Cosmetics are made with the Argan nut by hand as Berber women crack the nuts and the grind them one by one. Have a complimentary tasting. This cooperative is run entirely by women. Lunch in the village of Tadart.

►Arrive in Marrakech. Evening Free.

►Spend the night in a 4 Star Riad in Marrakech.

DAY 13: MARRAKECH – ESSAOUIRA (GUIDED HISTORICAL TOUR)

▶Rise, breakfast at your Riad. Then take the road to visit the seaside port of Essaouira. The journey to this former Portuguese ﬁshing village offers up only a few roadside towns and the occasional Berber village. In the ’60s and ’70s, Essaouira was a pitstop on the hippie trek from Marrakesh. Jimi Hendrix made the pilgrimage, as did Bob Marley and Cat Stevens. Essaouira was the inspiration for Hendrix’s song “Castles Made of Sand.”

▶ Visit this sea-side medieval town that boasts lovely white-washed and blue-shuttered houses, colonnades, thuya wood workshops, art galleries and mouthwatering seafood. Once called Mogador by European sailors and traders, Essaouria is known for its annual Gnaoua Music Festival that attracts 300,000+ people in June. It also has an expansive beach for surﬁng called Plage de Saﬁ.

▶ Take a stroll along the town’s sunlit pedestrian main square, Place Prince Moulayel Hassan and the Skala du Port, the ﬁshing harbor, offer breathtaking views of the Portuguese ramparts. Explore the ramparts and the spice and jewelry souks of the medina. Your guide will take you to the old Jewish Mellah and explain the entire history of Essaouira. The medina of Essaouira (formerly “Mogador“) is a UNESCO World Heritage listed city, as an example of a late-18th century fortiﬁed town.

▶Bead & Jewelry Hunting in Essaouira:
Take time out in Essaouira’s old medina to visit the jewelry shops that specialize in antique Venetianbeads, Berber Silver, Amber and Copal.

▶ Have lunch at the ﬁsh-grill cafes, with wooden tables and benches laid out overlooking the sea that was once- in the 19th century- the only Moroccan Port south of Tangier. After lunch take a relaxing walk on the beach in Essaouira.

▶ After lunch visit Orson Welles’ Square and memorial, designed by Samir Mustapha, one of the town’s artists, which pays homage to Orson Welles ﬁlming of Othello in Essouaria. Essaouira’s history is a reminder of the times when Spain, Portugal and England fought to maintain control over its coasts. It has a typical Portuguese harbor that is a stunning example of Moorish and Portuguese architecture.

▶Before departing from Essaouira, take a stroll along Essaouira’s beach for a relaxing seaside experience before your departure back to Marrakech.

►Jewelry & Treasures of Marrakech Viewing:
Evening viewing of Moroccan Jewelry pieces at your Riad by a local Berber Trader in Marrakech. Enjoy a private two- hour viewing of fabulous beads, jewels and local silver pieces available for purchase and historical discussion about the origin and meaning of these pieces.

Travel Exploration specializes in Morocco Travel. We provide Tours and travel opportunities to Morocco for the independent traveler and tailor-made tours for families and groups with a distinctly unique flavor. From Morocco’s Seven Imperial Cities, to the Magical Sahara Travel Exploration offers a captivating experience that will inspire you. At Travel Exploration we guarantee that you will discover the best of Morocco! Call Travel Exploration at 1 (800) 787-8806 or 1 (917)703-2078 and let’s book a tour to Morocco for you today.